Dame Katherine Grainger continued her mission to visit all Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic sports with a trip to meet GB Diving and Triathlon last week.
Fresh from their return from a training camp in America, Dame Katherine began her visit by watching the likes of Dan Goodfellow, Jack Laugher and Lois Toulson in training at the City of Leeds Diving Club.
The London 2012 gold medallist then enjoyed a tour of the facilities with CEO Jack Buckner and Performance Director Alexei Evangulov, before meeting all members of the Leeds based GB Diving squad.
CEO Jack Buckner said of Dame Katherine’s visit: “It was great to have Katherine visit us at the City of Leeds Diving Club.
“UK Sport’s support is crucial for British Swimming and its continued success and it’s great to see Katherine take such a keen interest in all aspects of the sport.
“We look forward to our continued work with UK Sport as the build-up to the next Olympic cycle intensifies.”
A short trip across Leeds then followed, with the state-of-the-art Brownlee Centre and a visit to British Triathlon next for Dame Katherine.
Here she was met by GB Triathlete Jess Learmonth and former coach of Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, Malcom Brown who took Dame Katherine on a tour of the UK’s first purpose-built triathlon training centre.
Asked what difference the University of Leeds-supported Centre had made to their training, Jess recalled that she “used to have to get changed in my car” and Malcolm added that his meetings with athletes sometimes had to be held in a nearby Starbucks.
Following the trip, Dame Katherine said: “This trip was a hugely successful one and it was great to meet so many of the athletes and coaches at both British Swimming and Triathlon.
“British Diving enjoyed historic success at the Rio Olympics and it’s little surprise when you take into account the fantastic facilities and coaching they now have access to.
“With the talent British Diving now possess I’m sure they can continue to enjoy huge success at the upcoming British Championships and into the next Olympic cycle.
“The same can be said of British Triathlon, with the superb facilities at the Brownlee Centre providing our Triathletes with the best chance of success going forward.”